1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a solenoid-operated valve manifold that can easily be connected to a solenoid-operated valve without the need for any mounting screws or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
There has heretofore been known a solenoid-operated valve manifold having fluid passages and fluid ports that communicate with a plurality of ports of a solenoid-operated valve. The solenoid-operated valve manifold is connected to the solenoid-operated valve by mounting screws or the like. A fluid under pressure is introduced from the solenoid-operated valve manifold through one of the fluid passages into the solenoid-operated valve and discharged from the solenoid-operated valve through another of the fluid passages into the solenoid-operated valve manifold.
As described above, the solenoid-operated valve manifold is connected to the solenoid-operated valve by mounting screws or the like. However, if the solenoid-operated valve is to be designed in a smaller size, difficulty arises in providing the solenoid-operated valve with an enough space reserved therein for installing the mounting screws. Stated otherwise, use of mounting screws to connect the solenoid-operated valve to the manifold presents an obstacle to reduce the size of the solenoid-operated valve.
Another problem with the conventional solenoid-operated valve manifold is that it is tedious and time-consuming to fasten the manifold and the solenoid-operated valve to each other by the mounting screws. Furthermore, mounting screws for use on relatively small solenoid-operated valves are also relatively small in size, and hence cannot easily be tightened and loosened.